


i can’t sleep

by inspire_bts



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Cuddling & Snuggling, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Protective Hyungs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-28
Updated: 2019-01-28
Packaged: 2019-10-18 02:10:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,652
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17572310
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inspire_bts/pseuds/inspire_bts
Summary: mark’s schedules are getting too hard for him to handle, but at least he has johnny.





	i can’t sleep

mark was making a lot of mistakes in dance practice, but everything else seemed to be oblivious to the fact that he was not only making more mistakes than usual, but he seemed to have lost that joyful attitude that he carried every single day — well.. most days. he seemed to be falling asleep on his feet, so johnny did what any other good hyung would do — it wasn’t that none of his other hyungs were good, just that he was the only one that realized the situation — and that was talk to the younger.

“hey, you okay?” johnny asked in english. he wanted the conversation to be more private because he, first of all, knew that the younger would appreciate hearing his native language rather than his second language, korean, and he also knew that the younger would feel more comfortable talking if not as many people would be able to understand.

“yeah, i’m fine. just a little tired, but that’s normal” the younger brushed off. 

“are you sure?” 

“yes, hyung, i’m fine” he answered, exasperatedly. he didn’t need more people worrying about him after all. 

the truth was that mark was exhausted, but at the same time a bit overwhelmed. he was in three different subunits, and trying to balance time for each group was torturing, especially during comeback season, where he was still expected to practice with nct u and nct 127, despite already exerting most of his energy on promotions for “we go up”. and as much as he loved being with the dream members because they allowed him to act like a kid, but at the same time a hyung and a leader to them, it was sometimes all too much. mark already hated telling people about his feelings, and even though he was not at all quiet or reserved, his emotions had always been something that he had kept quiet about. and because he was with the nct dream members for at least half the day because of practices and promotions, he had to act happy for them. they were young and mark wanted to shield them from pain as much as he possibly could. he also did not need more people worrying about him — his hyungs were enough to deal with, but having his dongsaengs hovering over him as well… 

he was just so tired. he had had to wake up early every single day for the past week in order to fit in enough time to prepare for nct 127’s comeback, since he didn’t have time in the afternoon most of the week because of comeback stages with nct dream. it was too much, and he didn’t even know why the ceo of sm was so adamant on him being on all the subunits because what was so special about him? what was so different from his rapping in comparison to someone like taeyong’s? 

it was so much to deal with, especially when he barely got enough sleep on a normal day, not to mention during comeback season when his sleep schedule would suddenly decrease from around six hours a night to three if he was lucky.

“just a little tired” was clearly an understatement, but johnny didn’t need to know that. the elder would worry way too much, and mark didn’t need that. he was completely fine dealing with it all himself, and not telling a single person about what was actually going on. besides, it would all be fine by the time “we go up” promotions ended — well maybe it wouldn’t because the next month, nct 127 would be coming back. i’m never gonna actually get a real break, am i? .. well, unless the managers feel bad for me enough and decide that i’ve worked too hard and deserve a short break. or unless taeyong-hyung tells them that i need a break, but no, no, he doesn’t need to worry about me. he has enough on his plate. why would he have to deal with his little dongsaeng who can’t even deal with a simple comeback. it was apart of the job. why did i even choose to audition to become an idol if i’m too weak to deal with a stupid comeback? 

maybe, some hugs and a few cuddles would be nice..

maybe, hyungies can cuddle with me and i can sleep.

omg stop being a baby, mark. you’re twenty, you need to stop relying on your hyungs for everything and you need to stop worrying them. 

everything’s fine, you’re just making everything a bigger deal than it really is.

“baby, you don’t look ‘just a little tired’, you look beyond exhausted” johnny pointed out, noticing the way that mark’s eyes seemed to almost close as he sat, drinking a sip from his bottle of water. 

luckily, the others weren’t paying attention enough to the two north americans or else everyone would have instantly started crowding around the youngest rapper in concern.

“well, i’m sorry, hyung, if i don’t have time to sleep because i’m promoting with dreamies right now, and i will be promoting again next month with you guys” the younger responded.

johnny wasn’t angry at mark for snapping at him, he was even more worried though. after living together for more than three years, he knew that the younger would only ever act like that if something was actually wrong.

“baby, seriously, i know something’s wrong and you’re hiding whatever it is from me, but please tell me. i can't help if i don’t know what’s bothering you.”

“maybe i don’t want you to help” mark mumbled. 

“baby, there’s clearly something wrong and it seems to be bothering you a lot, and i’m not gonna leave you alone until you tell me” johnny tried to persuade the younger rapper to speak up.

“fine, hyung, but can we please talk at the dorms?” mark asked, “ i don’t want to talk in front of everyone else.”

“of course, baby” the elder replied, earning a small pout and a whine of “i’m not a baby, hyung” from mark.

//

as soon as they finished practiced and arrived home, johnny followed mark into the younger’s bedroom, and closed the door, hoping that the other’s would take the hint to not interrupt them because he knew that mark would not want to talk in front of anyone else, but him. maybe it was because johnny was his fellow english speaker in the group — but then again jaehyun could also speak fluent english, so that couldn’t have been the only reason — or maybe it was because mark was johnny’s baby, and mark only ever wanted to be cuddled by his second oldest hyung.

“mark, baby, what’s wrong?”

“ugh, fine, i will admit everything to you” he sighed, “it’s not really that big a problem, it’s just i’m so exhausted and i haven’t had a break in so long, and i’m probably not gonna have another break until new years — and even then we will have to perform at end of the year shows. and i really don’t think i can deal with it anymore” the younger started to cry out of frustration. 

“hey, baby, it’s okay,” johnny wrapped an arm around the crying rapper, “why didn’t you tell me before though? i could have told taeyong if you didn’t feel comfortable with it, and he could have asked manager-hyung to give you a short break.”

“but, i don’t want to be a burden to you guys” mark replied.

“baby, it wouldn’t have been a problem. and it’s still not. you’re never going to be a burden to us for just needing a break. we all need a break sometimes, and i’m surprised that you’ve withstood it for so long. baby, we care about you, and especially since you’re in all three units, you need to take care of your health better.” johnny lectured, but not in mean way — in like a caring hyungie way.

“i’m sorry for not telling you, hyung, or anyone else that i was tired and overwhelmed” the youngest rapper apologized.

“baby, don’t apologize. it’s okay, as long as you actually take that into consideration, and talk to us next time” johnny said.

“i will try to, but no promises” mark responded, sinking into the warm arms of the elder’s hug.

mark stayed there in the warmth and comfort of his hyung’s hug, and soon enough, the tears stopped, leaving only his red, swollen eyes and a couple left over tears that the younger quickly wiped off.

“you okay now, baby?” johnny asked.

“yep, i’m fine, hyung” mark answered, “just feeling like some cuddles.”

“aww, my cute, little baby loves cuddling with hyung, doesn’t he?”

“stop it, hyung! i’m not a cute baby!” mark argued, pouting.

“we’ve been over this, baby. you’re my little precious baby, deal with it” johnny replied, ignoring the younger’s continuous whines that “no, i’m not a baby!”

after a minute of arguing, mark sighed, “fine, hyung, i can be your ‘little, precious baby’, but can we please cuddle now?”

“aww, baby, are you craving some cuddles from hyung?” johnny teased.

mark reluctantly nodded in response, to which johnny replied, “aww, cute”, and the two cuddled together in the warmth of the younger’s bed.

their cuddle session was short lived before jaehyun came to knock on the door to inform them that dinner was ready.

“do we have to, hyung?” mark whined. “i want to sleep and i still want to cuddle.”

“yes, baby, you have to eat” johnny responded, “and then after, you can cuddle up next to me and go to sleep.”

and that’s exactly what they did. after johnny managed to force the younger up to eat dinner, and the younger complied, albeit a couple pouts of annoyance, the two excused themselves from the dinner table, and after a couple minutes, mark was fast asleep, wrapped in a warm hug and cuddled up with johnny.


End file.
